[TaoMaas]

Being locked into a system because you don't want the practical or financial implications of switching systems doesn't really count as an advantage.

I'm no more locked into Pentax now than I was when digital cameras came out, am I? lol Had I opted to switch systems, THEN I would have been handcuffed because I would have lost a full set of primes, zooms, bellows, flashes, attachments, etc...until I was able to sell my old gear. And I disagree that it's not an advantage to switch over to digital and still be able to use all of your existing lenses. That's actually one of the things people find very interesting about Pentax.

[TER-OR]

Last night at my camera club, a new member (joined last night) asked why anyone would choose an oddball camera (his words) like Pentax rather than Canon or Nikon. He shoots Canon 5D.

Having second thoughts about that 5D, are ya? [smirk]

I agree this is a no-win situation. You can ask why he chose the 5D - turn the table.

[Takumar55]

I think that's what you (and perhaps others) are reading into it.
Why assume the worst?

If this question -- with exactly the same wording -- is asked by a humble guy who honestly does not know why anyone would deviate from "the industry standard" then I'd regard it as purely inquisitive and not judgemental in any way.

A non-sarcastic answer may educate him and he may consider Pentax himself.

You are correct that there is a possibility we may be misreading the intent. But two things put this into context for me:
1. His use of the word "oddball".
2. The tone of the original post. I take it the gentleman here would not have posted this thread if the comment as taken in person was not condescending and insulting

So I'm taking this in the context it seems to have been given: if you are asked a condescending, insulting question, what is a proper response?

As I implied in my earlier post, you can usually tell the difference between someone honestly asking for information and engaging in discussion, versus someone who is trying to show off and belittle you in the process.

[Paleo Pete]

Fortunately I Haven't met any carriers of other brands that were jerks about it, just one girl who was carrying a Canon and was friendly and talking photography till she took a very obvious look at the name on my camera strap...that big red PENTAX...and suddenly didn't seem too interested in talking any more...I just ignored it, said have a good day and wandered off down the pier.

A few other people have asked me about my Pentax stuff, in some cases very good photographers with pretty impressive (and expensive) looking Canon or Nikon gear, all have been very nice about it, genuinely interested in the gear and its performance, a couple have asked to handle the K-x, and one fellow carrying a very expensive Canon rig with a lens 2 feet long said he really liked the way the K-x felt. Usually they are fairly impressed by the Pentax gear and the way it performs, especially if they take a look at the photo album I carry in my Jeep.

I think if I met someone like the guy in the original post, I'd tell him I carry Pentax because I didn't want to spend 3 times as much for the same performance...or maybe that I like to carry a GOOD camera...How about ...because I've been carrying Pentax since before you were born...which would be true in most cases...

[lister6520]

I have been asked few times why on earth I went for Pentax rather than Nikon or Canon. My answer is just the plain truth: I was looking to buy my first DSLR and was checking out Canon and Nikon unable to find one that suited me as they all seemed to lack something I needed and/or were too expensive when I saw mention of the Pentax K-x in a noise comparison test. At that point I didn't even know Pentax made DSLRs (for some odd reason I used to think Pentax was just a rebadging on some obscure OEM P&S cameras nowadays). As I looked into it more and studied the newer K-r I could no longer see any reason to go for Canon or Nikon, even more so knowing that I could use a variety of lenses I had from the film SLR days.

Curiously back then I used to use a Ricoh Kr-10, which was a K-mount camera. Odd that my first DSLR was to be the very similarly named Kr and even more odd that the Pentax Kr is now also a Ricoh.

[Aristophanes]

Pull out a K-x with a DA 21 on it. Then take shots one-handed with built-in SR.

[JimJohnson]

One of my wife's cousins is a freelance portrait photographer. She shoots a Nikon FF. She picked up my K-30 at a recent annual family gathering. I think I had the 18-135 mounted at the time. She certainly liked the weight, She loved the lens size and her ears perked right up at "in body mechanical stabilization with any lens" and "weather sealed". Her only even slightly negative comment was while she liked the lack of weight, she would have to learn all over how to handle the camera given the size difference in body and lenses.

BTW, pros like to take family snapshot quality photos too, and to the extent they are comfortable, let the camera make the decisions. The key difference is they know where the automatics on their camera will fall too short to be acceptable.

The family group portraits were taken on the beach by the K-30 because I was local and she was not. (just snapshots to stuff in the album anyway, right?) I did 4X6 prints for each sub-group that night and passed them out at the group regathering the next day. Our pro looked hard and confessed without prompting that the IQ was at least equal if not slightly better than her last paid shoot on a beach.

[redrockcoulee]

No one in our club cares that I shoot Pentax but that might be a fairly small club in a smaller city. Several members shot Pentax in film days, mostly screw mount Spotmatics.

When out shooting in the world I have never had anyone ask me about my Pentax gear, however when shooting the Hasselblad and even more the 4X5 that is not the case. My wife had some one spend 15 minutes talking to her about her 5X7 pinhole camera which was Ok as that was about the exposure time for a single shot.

People in camera clubs are just like people not in them, some are nice, some are uneducated about certain things and others are arogant and obnoxious. I try not to be arogant and obnoxious at the same time. Sounds like the person in the OP did not.

[wildman]

a new member (joined last night) asked why anyone would choose an oddball camera (his words) like Pentax rather than Canon or Nikon.

Answer - I don't know why "anyone" would choose Pentax only why I did - It suits my needs. And please don't bore me about your choice of camera because I don't care.

[SirBismuth]

Another possible reply and it's not condescending (at least not on the surface!):

Yeah, it would have been easier to buy a Nikon or maybe a Canon (a dig you can leave out depending on the questioner) but I decided to research it more and I ended up choosing a Pentax. Sure, they are hard to find but I think it was worth the effort.

and even add this if you wish...

Besides, isn't Pentax what people in Japan use?

Before I got the K-30, I considered all the options, as Pentax is virtually non-existent in South Africa, and I could've picked up a Canon/NIkon bundle almost anywhere (unlike my K-30 which I eventually imported). I spoke to a number of local pros, that either shoot Canon or Nikon, and discussed the Pros and Cons of their respectives brand with them. What eventually convinced me to stick with Pentax, were various comparative reviews with the K-30 and Canon/Nikon equivalents, and except for one that was blatantly biased towards the Nikon, the K-30 come out on top.

Ofc, the backward compatibility of lenses is also a major plus for me.

B

[arnold]

Perhaps, being new, and having bought what the masses bought, he want's reassuring that he made the right choice. "What do you know that he doesn't?" goes through his mind. Most who CHOOSE Pentax are different from those who 'fall into' the everyday brands.They (many Canicon buyers) feel safer following the crowd. Seeing an independent choice can be unsettling to them because you must know something they don't.
As someone else mentioned, one can point out that to step out of the main brands requires an obvious discriminating level of evaluation that not everyone is up to.

[stevebrot]

Quote Originally posted by monochrome Quote
Because the question is aggressively demeaning.
I think that's what you (and perhaps others) are reading into it.
Why assume the worst?

If this question -- with exactly the same wording -- is asked by a humble guy who honestly does not know why anyone would deviate from "the industry standard" then I'd regard it as purely inquisitive and not judgemental in any way.

I guess it is sort of like one of my co-workers' typical response to my suggestions:

"I can't see why anyone would want to do it that way."

It may not have been meant to be demeaning, but it certainly was effective. I think the appropriate term is chauvinistic.


Steve

[Rondec]

The funny thing is that when I talk to professionals, first of all, they are not gear oriented at all -- cameras are just tools to get a job done and second of all, they usually have good memories of Pentax cameras and are complementary toward the brand. It is hobby photographers who seem to focus more on specs and brand and gear.

[GibbyTheMole]

The funny thing is that when I talk to professionals, first of all, they are not gear oriented at all -- cameras are just tools to get a job done and second of all, they usually have good memories of Pentax cameras and are complementary toward the brand. It is hobby photographers who seem to focus more on specs and brand and gear.

Yep. That's because people who actually know something about photography know the name on the camera is ultimately unimportant. They'll all do the job. The person behind the camera is what counts... The novices aren't yet hip to this fact.

[monochrome]

I think I'll test the htpothesis with a film camera at my next camp gathering, maybe MZ-S to avoid the "classic camera" excuse. I fully expect at least one, "Why are you still shooting FILM?"